Vehicle protection apparatus

ABSTRACT

A protective panel for a vehicle substantially conforming to a portion of a vehicle. The protective panel having an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface, the lower surface having a reduced surface area in order to limit force applied to the protective panel and the vehicle. The panel further having an edge portion disposed along a perimeter, between the upper and lower surface, for deflecting obstacles, and one or more mounting points for removably attaching the protection panel to a portion of the exterior of a vehicle.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This application is a continuation and claims priority to U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/236,235 filed Aug. 12, 2016, which claimspriority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/282,896filed Aug. 14, 2015. The above applications are hereby incorporated byreference as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Vehicles are being sold with more narrow approach and departure angles,or bottom surfaces with a low profile. Additionally, some consumersmodify their vehicles, or use their vehicles in a non-standard way,making them more prone to contacting obstacles, for example, when carsare lowered or when vehicles are used for off-roading. When the exteriorof a vehicle panel contacts a curb, street, pothole, speed-bump, rock,or other obstacle, it can cause significant damage to the vehicle athigh cost. Traditional protection methods include add-on single ormulti-piece plastic parts, where a large portion of the add-on piececomes into contact with the obstacle. This results in excessive forcebeing applied to the vehicle, and in some situations, violent removal ofthe protective piece, the part of the vehicle to which it is attached,or both. Additionally, traditional methods are ill-fitting, do notextend sufficiently to the border of vehicle panels, and do not includea second edge that permits low friction movement over an obstacle. As aresult, when a driver moves to back over the obstacle, such as a curb,the protective piece becomes a liability, snagging on the obstacle andexerting excessive force onto the vehicle and the protective piece anddamaging the vehicle.

Further disadvantages include: the typical protective piece is made fromthin or flimsy material; is not capable of being truly threedimensional; is ill-fitting; and does not utilize factory fasteners orrequires excessive fasteners.

Accordingly, there is a need for a cost-effective protective panel thatalleviates the problems associated with existing panels, has a lowfriction component, can withstand increased force, provides protectionin more than one direction, and fits precisely.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred and alternative examples of the present invention aredescribed in detail below with reference to the following drawings:

FIG. 1A is a top down view of the lower portion of a protective panelaccording to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 1B is an installed view of a protective panel according to theembodiment illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 2A-C illustrate various aspects of the protective panel depictedin FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a zoomed-in-view of a protective panel according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a top down view of a protective panel according to anotherembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates various aspects of a portion of the protective paneldepicted in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 illustrates various aspects of a portion of the protective paneldepicted in FIG. 4; and,

FIG. 7 is a three-quarter view of a protective panel according to yetanother embodiment of the invention.

Elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity andhave not necessarily been rendered according to any particular sequenceor embodiment. For example, features may exist concurrently or in adifferent orientations and are illustrated in the figures to helpimprove the understanding of the embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The preferred embodiment of the invention is not limited in itsapplication to the details of construction and the arrangement ofcomponents set forth in the following description or illustrated in thefollowing drawings. The preferred embodiment of the invention is capableof other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out invarious ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology andterminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should notbe regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “having,” or“comprising” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass theitems listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additionalitems. Unless specified or limited otherwise, the terms “connected,”“supported,” and “coupled” and variations thereof, are used broadly andencompass both direct and indirect mountings, connections, supports, andcouplings. It is also to be understood that “connected” and “coupled”are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings.Further, the use of absolute terms such as “must,” “will,” and the like,as well as specific quantities, plurals or singulars, are to beconstrued as being applicable to one or more of such embodiments, butnot necessarily to all such embodiments. As such, embodiments of theinvention may omit, or include a modification of, one or more featuresor functionalities described in the context of such absolute terms.

The present invention relates generally to devices, systems, and methodsfor increasing protection of surfaces of vehicles from being damaged.For example, embodiments of the present invention may, but are notlimited to, be utilized to protect surfaces of vehicles from beingdamaged by debris, curbs, the road surface, or other articles that maycause damage to an exterior surface of a vehicle. Vehicle is understoodto mean at least, but not limited to, cars, trucks, SUVs, boats,airplanes, ATVs, side-by-sides, tractors, motorcycles, scooters,bicycles, skateboards, Segway's, wheelchairs, and the like.

In one embodiment of the invention, a user may desire to increase theprotection on one or more portions of their vehicle. By installing aprotective panel according to an embodiment of the present invention, auser may protect various parts of their vehicle from scratches, dings,abrasive marks, fractures, and the like.

In order to ensure proper fitment, a catalog of designs may be createdfor specific vehicles and specific trim-levels of an individual vehicleor for individual design needs. The design may include, but is notlimited to, for example, the overall shape, position of mounting holes,and overall contour of the vehicle panel. The protective panel then maybe produced by injection molding, multi-axis milling, single ormulti-process machining, 3D printing, fabricating or other methodsaccording to the design parameters and needs of the specific embodiment.For embodiments of the invention that include shape on the Z-axis, inorder to better fit vehicle contours, various methods, such asmulti-axis milling, 3D printing, injection molding, or fabrication maybe preferable. The protective panels are preferably easy to install, onaccount of their precise fit. An installer may also optionally applyvarious additional components in order to increase the appearance andintegration of the part. Features of the various embodiments may be, forexample, designed into a mold or carved out of a blank in order toachieve the benefits described herein.

The protective panel may be installed on a specific vehicle such that itprovides a layer of protection to a specific portion of the exterior ofthe vehicle. In one example of the preferred embodiment, it may beinstalled on the underside of the front bumper of a sports-car. When thedriver pulls out of a driveway, should the approach angle be tooshallow, the protective panel provides a barrier between the vehiclepanel and the road surface. In a further example, a protective panel maybe installed under a rocker panel, such that when a lowered cartraverses a speed-bump, the protective panel makes contact with theobstacle.

In a preferred embodiment, the protective panel has a reduced andlimited surface area that comes into contact with the road surface, orany other obstacle, thereby reducing the stress or force imparted on theexterior of the vehicle or panel mounting points. In order to reduce thesurface area of the panel while maintaining appropriate protectivetraits, the panel may include a number of pockets and rails. The pocketsreduce the area of the lower surface that is likely to come into contactwith an obstacle. The rails provide adequate support to the panelcomponent while also providing a barrier between the obstacle and thevehicle. The combination of pockets and rails may occur in manyorientations, including those not specifically mentioned herein. Inaddition, the protective panel may include one or more edges of varyingdesign to smoothly transition an obstacle onto the lower surface of thepanel. Additionally, the protective panel may be shaped in such a way asto extend to the outer most portion of the portion of the vehicle it iscovering, the border, thereby reducing the chances of an obstacle cominginto contact with an unprotected portion of the vehicle panel whereprotection is desired.

In a preferred embodiment, where a protective panel has two sides, bothsides include and edge, and both edges extend to the furthest perimeterportion of the exterior panel to be protected. In this way, no matterwhich direction force is applied to the protective panel, the obstaclewill not snag on the panel potentially causing excessive damage.Further, the back, rearward, side, front, first, or second edge may beof a preferred profile, for example a 1″ radius or other portions of anellipse, circle, angle or other shape or otherwise designed in such away as to limit the force applied to the vehicle and panel mountingpoints when an obstacle makes contact with an edge.

In an additional embodiments, the protective panel may be installed on,for example, but not limited to, portions of a vehicle including therocker panel, side skirt, the rear of the vehicle, valance, diffuser,door, bumper, splitter, dive plane, or at some other point whereprotection is desired on the exterior the vehicle.

Preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention arediscussed below and illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures.Turning to the drawing figures, identical numerals correspond to thesame or similar features in each of the several embodiments. Thedrawings are not intended to indicate the scale or relative proportionsof the elements shown therein. Unless otherwise noted, all parts arepreferably fabricated from any suitable material, including for example,but in no way limited to: plastic; polyethylene; HDPE, textilematerials; natural materials; wood; metal; or any other material orcombination of materials capable of providing adequate stability,resilience, and appearance.

In accordance with one embodiment 100, a protective panel 110 isillustrated in FIGS. 1A-3. FIG. 1 illustrates a top down view of thelower surface 111 representative of an embodiment 100 of a protectivepanel 110. When installed, this view may be available by viewing fromunderneath the car. Protective panel 110 may be made of any number ofmaterials. Preferably, the protective panel 110 is made of a suitablystrong material that also has a low coefficient of friction. Theprotective panel 110 may also comprise an upper surface 112, which ispreferably located opposite the lower surface 111 and may make contactwith a portion of vehicle. This upper surface 112 may be machined,curved, flat, or otherwise shaped to accommodate the particularapplication area on a vehicle. The upper surface 112 may also facilitatelocking one or more protective panels together, for example, at a point150, by incorporating, for example, a male and female edge. Protectivepanel 110 may have a first edge 113. In this particular embodiment 100,the first edge 113 is located at the front of the front bumper of avehicle, as shown in FIG. 1B. In other embodiments this first edge 113may be located toward the side or rear of the vehicle depending on theexterior part to be protected. The protective panel 110 may also have asecond edge 114. In this particular embodiment, the second edge 114 isat the rear of the front-pumper of a vehicle, as shown in FIG. 1B. Inother embodiments this second edge 114 may be located toward the side orfront of the vehicle depending on the exterior panel to be protected.The first edge 113 and the second edge 114 may be formed such that theymeet or match, generally, the profile of the vehicle manufacturesexisting design. The addition of the first and second edges may also becalled, generally, the edge and may form a perimeter portion. The firstand second edge may also be formed in the same manner, for example thesame profile, radius, angle or design. The first and second edge, incombination refer to the two or more edges that form the overallperimeter or circumference of the protective panel. In a preferredembodiment, the first and second edges meet at at-least two points ofthe protective panel 110 in order to form the circumference orperimeter. In other embodiments additional edges may be necessary.

The shape 119 corresponds to the curvature of, in this example, thebottom of the vehicle's front bumper. In additional embodiments theshape 119 may correspond to any other part or exterior portion whereprotection is desired, and will differ depending on the requiredapplication, or may differ from the vehicle's design where necessary. Inother examples the shape 119 may correspond to other parts of a vehicle,such as, for example but not limited to, a side-skirt, rocker panel,rock slider, rear bumper, valence, door, bumper, splitter, diffuser, orany other area where protection is desired. The shape 119 will generallybe as organic and smooth as possible in order to avoid hard edges orunnecessary uneven portions. Changes in direction, for example, willoften use a curved profile, as opposed to a squared off transitionportion. Similarly, where gentle curves in the x-y plane exist, longsmooth curved sections may be used so long as they follow the shape ofthe vehicle panel to which the protective panel is attached.

In many examples it is important that first edge 113 be located as closeto the boundary of the part to be protected as possible. Preferably,where the protective panel 110 is located, for example, on a frontpumper, the first edge 113 matches as closely as practicable the shapeof the bumper. In an additional example, where the panel is located on arocker panel, the first edge 113 preferably matches as closely aspossible the side edge of the rocket panel. A correct fit may increasethe protective qualities of the panel, such that an obstacle will strikethe protective panel instead of any portion of the exterior of thevehicle. In a preferred embodiment the first edge 113 matches and coversthe furthest from center portions of the portion of the vehicle to beprotected. When disposed in this manner, the first edge 113 comes intocontact with an obstacle before the part to be protected. In manyexamples the second edge 114 is located as close as possible to adifferent perimeter portion of the part to be protected. The second edge114 may match, for example, as closely as practicable the shape of therear section of the front bumper, or the opposite side of a rockerpanel. By extending the second edge 114 to the edge of the part to beprotected, it protects the vehicle panel from forces in the oppositedirection. For example, when backing over a curb, edge 114 preventsunnecessary strain on the bumper by extending the panel 110, or furtherwhen sliding over a rock the edge 114 protects the rocker panel in theopposite direction from edge 113. By utilizing an edge 114 the inventionallows for smoothly guiding an obstacle across the protective panel 110without the obstacle becoming stuck, or causing increased force whencontacting the protective panel 110. In other embodiments there thefirst and second edge may simply form an edge that traverses theperimeter of the protective plate matching as closely as practical theboundary of the vehicle panel to be protected. The boundary correspondsto the edges of the protection area only, and not the entire panelitself. For example, where a bumper is the panel to be protected, theboundary may correspond to one or more smaller portions, for example onthe underside of the bumper, where contact with obstacles is mostlikely.

In a preferred embodiment, and as illustrated in FIGS. 1A-3, there are anumber of pockets 121 along the lower surface of varying shape. Thepockets 121 act to lessen the surface area along the panel of the lowersurface by pulling the pocket area toward the upper surface and awayfrom the plane of the lower surface, creating a recessed area, therebyremoving material from the area most likely to make contact with anobstacle. The actual surface area of the lower surface is preferablyless than the area inside the perimeter of the lower surface. In someembodiments the surface area may be reduced by 5-90% depending on theneeds of the plate. Other embodiments may differ and have greater orless surface area reduction. Obstacles making contact with theprotective panel transfers less force, via friction, as a result of thelower surface area, onto the vehicle itself, the protection panel, andany mounting means. Along the second edge 114 there may be places wherethe pocket 121 intersects the edge 114 to create an edge of a reducedthickness 115. The difference between the rearward edge 114 at thesepoints of intersection resulting in edge 115 is clearly depicted in FIG.2C. In some embodiments the pockets may not extend through the second orrearward edge 114. The pockets 121 reduce the overall surface area ofthe lower surface 112. In some embodiments there may be many smallerpockets, or fewer larger pockets, depending on the needs of the part.Pockets may also take any shape. For example, in some embodiments thepockets may be circular, triangular, square, or other more variednonconforming shapes. In an additional embodiment, there may be onelarge pocket 121 surrounded by a perimeter 117 and edges 113 and 114such that the entire middle of the protective panel comprises a recessedarea. Pockets of a protective plate 110 may also extend through thethickness of the plate such that there is no plate material at one ormore pocket locations.

FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C illustrate different views of one portion of theprotective panel 110 in accordance with FIG. 1 and embodiment 100. FIG.2A illustrates a side profile and close up view of one possibleembodiment of the protective panel 110. As illustrated, the first edge113 is optionally composed of an edge profile 113 a-n. The profile ofthe first edge 113 can be many different profiles. For example it may bea radius portion, an ellipse, angle or otherwise. In some embodimentsthe profile of the first edge 113 extends from the upper surface 112 tothe lower surface 111 such that the upper portion of the first edge 113is further away from the center of the panel than the lower portion ofthe first edge 113. In the depicted exemplary embodiment, the first edge113 is composed of a first profile 113 a and a second profile 113 bwhich corresponds to an area perpendicular to the upper surface 112. Ina preferred embodiment the first edge 113 may be in two sections, thefirst a profile 113 a of a 1″ radius, for example extending immediatelyfrom the lower side 111 and extending toward the upper surface along anarc meeting the second part 113 b near the upper surface. The first edgemay be composed of any number of portion 113 a-n. The first edge 113allows obstacles encountered by the protective panel 110 to slide withreduced force along, across, or over the edge 113. In embodimentsincluding the second section 113 b, the perpendicular portion can beused as a blending point, allowing for a sealing agent to be appliedalong the edge portion 113 b preventing debris from becoming lodged inbetween the vehicle and the upper surface 112. The sealing agent mayalso provide a premium fit and finish to the product. The edge 113 mayalso be composed of, but not limited to, a single profile, radius,curve, ellipse, or angle.

As depicted in FIG. 2B, the point between where the lower portion of thefirst edge 113 meets the lower surface 111 and any pocket 121, is thelower strip 117. The lower strip 117 provides strength along the shape119 of the first edge 113. In some embodiments the width of the lowerstrip 117 can be adjusted depending on the needs of the protectivepanel. For example, where increased forces are expected, the lower strip117 may be larger. In additional embodiments there may be no lower strip117. In these embodiments the edge of pocket 121 meets the lower portionof the first edge 113 at points not including a rail 124. In additionalembodiments, a fastener mounting location 130 may be placed at leastpartially or completely along the lower strip 117.

A number of pockets 121 are located at the lower surface 111. The floorof the pocket 121 is moved toward the upper surface 112, therebyremoving surface area from the lower surface 111 creating a recessedarea. By lowering the surface area of the lower surface 111 theprotective panel 110 glides more smoothly, with less friction, and lessoverall force, over obstacles and therefore is less likely to damage theportion of the vehicle to which it is attached. As depicted, in someembodiments the shape of the pocket 121 follows generally the shape 119of the protective panel 110. In other embodiments the pocket 121 may beof random shapes. The pocket edges 122 closest to the first edge 111 mayfollow closely the shape of the first edge 113, or may differ from theshape of the first edge. In at least one embodiment, the pocket is atleast the thickness of the first lower strip 117 away from the firstedge 113. In a preferred embodiment, the floor of a pocket is nevercloser than 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, or 0.5 inches from the start of thefirst edge 113. In other embodiments the pocket 121 may extend all theway to or through the first edge 113. The pocket may be of varying depthwith respect to the plane created by the lower surface and any rails 124therein. For example, in a preferred embodiment the pocket may be 25-75%the thickness of the panel. In other embodiments the pocket may extendthrough the protective panel completely such that no portion of theprotective panel covers those portions. In other embodiments the pocketmay be shallower. The protective panel may be any thickness. In apreferred embodiment the protective panel is between 0.1 and 3 inchesthick. In addition to pockets 121, the lower surface is comprised of anumber of rails 124. In a preferred embodiment the rails 124 extend fromthe first edge 113 to the second edge 114. In other embodiments the railmay be shorter or longer. In a preferred embodiment, and as illustrated,the rail 124 may be bordered on either side by a pocket 121. The widthof a rail 124 may generally be constant along its length. In otherexamples, the width of a rail 124 may increase or decrease as it nears acorner pocket edge 122 closer to the first edge 113 or second edge 114.Further, the rail 124 may take on any different shape. In manyembodiments the rail edges 125 are preferably perpendicular to oneanother along a majority of the rail 124. In other embodiments the railsmay take on drastically different or slight variations in shape. Forexample, where the pocket 121 is a circle, the rails 124 may form theportion of the lower surface outside the circle. The rails 124 may alsofollow generally the same direction, or in other embodiments, they mayface in different directions depending on the needs of the particularembodiment. The area of the rail 124 and the lower strip 117 comprisethe area of the lower surface 111 along which obstacles preferablyslide. For example, in a situation where a user has installed thedepicted embodiment to the front bumper of a vehicle, should that personrun over a curb, the curb would slide up the first edge 113 and alongthe lower strip 117 and onto the rails 124. In this example, the vehiclebumper receives less force on account of the substantially reducedsurface area it comes in contact with on account of the pocket 121having been moved away from the obstacle. Oddly shaped obstacles mayalso contact other portions of the protective panel 110, however, theamount of contact is reduced. In a preferred embodiment, shape of thepocket 121 consists of specifically profiled edges or otherwisenon-perpendicular edges in order to avoid hard corners where obstaclescould snag. In addition, the edges 122 of pocket 121 may be a radiusextending from the floor of the pocket 121 to the rail edge 125 suchthat an obstacle striking the edges 122 do not encounter perpendicularpoints thereby reducing the risk of an obstacle snagging the protectivepanel 110.

Referring now to FIG. 2C, which illustrates a preferred embodiment 100of the protective panel 110 from the opposite side illustrated in FIGS.2A and 2B. The pocket 121 may bi-sect the rearward edge 114 therebycreating a shorter or smaller edge 115. The rearward edge 114 and 115serve to protect the vehicle when moving in an alternative direction.Embodiments of the present invention may also include any number ofmounting points 130. For example, 131 and 132 refer to factory, or addednon-factory mounting points. Mountings points 130 may also include othertype of reliefs in the protective panel 110 in order to allow afastener, for example factory screws, rivets, self-tapping screws, andthe like to pass through the protective panel and into the part to whichthe panel will attach. In some embodiments the location of factoryfasteners is not constant, and a larger relief may be used to accountfor this variation. In other embodiments the protective panel 110 mayinclude an embodiment where the mounting point refers to adhesivelybonded mountings points using, for example, adhesive such as doublesided tape, epoxy, glue, or further where the part may be sonicallywelded, or welded on. A mounting point 130 or 131 may be located nearthe first edge 113, the second edge 114, a pocket 121 or a rail 124. Insome embodiments adjustments to the shape of a pocket 121, rail 124 maybe necessary to accommodate for the mounting point and allow foradequate spacing and structural integrity.

Referring now to FIG. 3, which illustrates an embodiment 100 of aprotective panel 110 having a joint portion 150. In some embodiments ofthe invention, providing a protective panel 110 as a single piece may beimpractical. In order to decrease the amount of mounting pointsrequired, a joint portion 150 may be used to securely attach twoindividual protective panels 110 to form one large and uniform piece.This can be accomplished by creating a male and female portion on theupper surface 112 or by butting the portions together, or by creatingmale and female portions at a different point between the upper andlower surfaces. Mounting points 130 may still be optionally used at ajoint portion 150. In some embodiments the sides of the joint portion150 are comprised of a similar or identical profiles used on the firstedge 113.

Referring now to FIG. 4, which illustrates another possible embodiment200 of a protective panel 210 where the protective panel 210 is made ofany number of sub-portions 210 a-n. In some embodiments, it may beunnecessary to install a protective panel at one or more points along asingle portion of the vehicle. For example, where only a limited portionof a bumper is likely to contact obstacles. Or, in other embodiments,extreme angles may make single piece protective panels impractical todesign, manufacture, or ship. Or further still, for packaging or reasonsof economy, or for any other reason, a user may wish to use a protectivepanel 210 where the panel is made of more than one individual part 210a-n. A multi-piece protective panel 210 may include, for example, and isnot limited to, a center portion 210 a, two off center portions 210 band two corner portions 210 c. When installed, 210 a may be located inthe middle, 210 b on either side of 210 a, and 210 c at the outer edgesof both pieces 210 b in order to form a complete protective, segmentedbarrier along the a portion of the vehicle. Where a protective panel iscomprised of multiple portions, it may be comprised in a similar oridentical way to those protective panels 110 described above. Eachindividual portion 210 a-n may include a first edge 213 and a secondedge 214, as well as any number of pockets 221 and rails 224. The sizeand shape of the individual protective panel portion 210 a-n may dictatethe number and shape of any pockets 221 and rails 224. For smallerportions, more extreme shapes and edges may be necessary toappropriately match the shape 219 of the exterior of the vehicle.

Referring to FIG. 5, which illustrates an embodiment 200 of a protectivepanel 210, specifically the center portion of the protective panel 210 aas shown in FIG. 4. The pockets 221 may be shaped to accommodate anynecessary mounting points 230. For example, where a mounting point 231is necessary near the first edge 213, the pocket 221 may be shaped toaccommodate the mounting point 231 so as to provide additional, orappropriate structural integrity. In other examples the pocket shape maynot be changed. Further, the rear edge 214 may be adjusted toaccommodate a mounting point 232. The rearward edge of the individualprotective panel 210 is designed to follow the shape 219 of whateverportion of the vehicle it has been attached to. For example, wheremultiple pieces 210 a-n are used, the pieces may be drasticallydifferent shapes 219 and sizes in order to properly fit and accommodatea specific portion of the vehicle. In some embodiments where more thanone protective panel 220 is used, the pockets 221 and rails 225 may beangled, generally, or exactly, in the same direction. In otherembodiments the shape, angle, and size of the rails and pockets maydiffer.

Referring to FIG. 6, which illustrates an embodiment 200 of a portion210 c of a protective panel 210 as shown in FIG. 4. Portions of amulti-part protective panel 210 may take any necessary shape 219. Forexample, as shown, an end piece 210 c may have a more extreme shape 219.Any portion of a protective panel 210 may have these more extreme shapesdepending on the needs of the particular part. The end portion 210 c mayalso include a label pocket 240 in order to properly identify theproduct. The first edge 213 or second edge 214 may be extended or belarger, at any particular points. As shown, where two edges meet atnarrower angles, the edge may be extended to provide appropriateprotection, and or to correctly or more accurately follow the shape 219of the panel to be protected. Smaller portions of a protective panel 210may include mounting locations 230, for example non-factory holes 231for use with, for example, and not limited by, rivets, tech screws,snaps, clips, or other mounting means. Where a protective panel is anirregular shape 219 the pocket 221 may also be shaped accordingly, thepurpose of the pocket being to reduce the surface area of any portion ofthe protective panel 210. Any piece of a multi-piece 210 may usefeatures of different embodiments within the same over all panel 210.For example, a center portion 210 a may include larger pockets 221, andsmaller rails 225, and a side section 210 b may use a wider lower strip227 and wider rails 225. Any combination is possible.

Referring to FIG. 7, which illustrates an embodiment 300 of a protectiveplace 310. In addition to following the shape 319 of the underside of avehicle, the protective panel 310 may also follow the contour 318. Forexample, the panel may be composed in such a way that it is not flat,ignoring the thickness of the panel, on the Z-axis and may be formed tofollow subtle or more extreme contours in a portion of the exterior ofthe vehicle. In embodiments using this three-dimensional protectivepanel 310 it may be possible to avoid using multiple individualprotective panels, and instead forming one protective panel to match thecontour 318 of the portion of the vehicle to be protected. In thedepicted embodiment the protective panel 310 is subtly curved along theZ-axis in addition to being of a particular shape 319 in the X-Y plain.Where a protective panel 310 is three dimensional, it may be necessaryto account for any deflection or deformation in the rails 324 andpockets 321 caused by creating a truly three dimensional part. Where aprotective panel 310 is three dimensional, it may include any of theconcepts described above in embodiments 100 or 200. In addition, thepanel may be two or more pieces. A generic mounting location 333 is alsoshown which allows for some variation in the location of fasteners, andmay be for example an enlarged circle or square.

In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described withreference to specific exemplary embodiments. Various modifications andchanges may be made, however, without departing from the scope of thepresent invention as set forth in the claims. The specification andfigures are illustrative, not restrictive, and modifications areintended to be included within the scope of the present invention.Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined by theclaims and their legal equivalents rather than by merely the examplesdescribed.

Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have beendescribed above with regard to particular embodiments. Any benefit,advantage, solution to problem, or any element that may cause anyparticular benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or to become morepronounced are not to be construed as critical, required, or essentialfeatures or components of any or all the claims.

The terms “comprise”, “comprises”, “comprising”, “having”, “including”,“includes” or any variations of such terms, are intended to reference anon-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article,composition or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does notinclude only those elements recited, but may also include other elementsnot expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article,composition or apparatus. Other combinations and/or modifications of theabove-described structures, arrangements, applications, proportions,elements, materials, or components used in the practice of the presentinvention, in addition to those not specifically recited, may be variedor otherwise particularly adapted to specific environments,manufacturing specifications, design parameters, or other operatingrequirements without departing from the general principles of the same.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed, as noted above, many changes can be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, a protectivepanel may be used in other fields, or may not form a shape generallyrepresentative of a portion of a vehicle panel. Accordingly, the scopeof the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferredembodiment. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely byreference to the claims that follow.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:
 1. An accessory protectivepanel for a vehicle, comprising: an upper surface; a lower surfaceopposite the upper surface; a non-square edge portion disposed at everypoint along a perimeter, between the upper and lower surface, theperimeter configured to substantially conform to a specific portion ofthe vehicle, and wherein the edge portion comprises a first, front edgeand a second rear edge, opposite the first edge; a reduced lower surfacearea, wherein a total surface area of a portion of the lower surfaceconfigured to contact an obstacle, is a surface area less than apotential total area encompassed by the edge portion disposed along theperimeter; and at least one mounting point for removably attaching thepanel to the vehicle.
 2. The protective panel of claim 1 wherein theprotective panel is configured to substantially conform to a shape and acontour of specific a portion of the vehicle.
 3. The protective panel ofclaim 1 wherein the first edge comprises two or more profiles.
 4. Theprotective panel of claim 1 wherein the portion of lower surfaceconfigured to contact an obstacle extends from a remainder of the lowersurface opposite the upper surface.
 5. The protective panel of claim 4wherein the at least one mounting point for removably attaching thepanel to the vehicle comprises double sided tape disposed at the uppersurface.
 6. The protective panel of claim 1 wherein the protective panelcomprises two or more individual pieces.
 7. The protective panelaccording to claim 1 wherein the first front edge and the second rearedge opposite the first edge, include one or more smaller edge sections,collectively forming the first and second edge disposed along theperimeter.
 8. The protective panel according to claim 1 wherein thelower surface includes at least one pocket.
 9. The protective panelaccording to claim 1 wherein the lower surface includes at least onepocket, and further wherein the at least one pocket extends through theedge portion along the perimeter.
 10. The protective panel according toclaim 1 wherein each of the at least one mounting point allows the uppersurface to be attached to a portion of the vehicle using a factoryfastener location.
 11. A protective panel for a vehicle, comprising: anupper surface for engaging the vehicle; a lower surface opposite theupper surface; a first edge extending from the upper surface to thelower surface and disposed such that the first edge follows generally ashape of a first portion of the vehicle and where the first edge has atleast one non-square edge profile; a second edge extending from theupper surface to the lower surface and disposed such that the secondedge follows generally a shape of a second portion of the vehicle andwhere the second edge has at least one non-square edge profile, andfurther such that the second edge meets the first edge in order to forma perimeter portion; at least one pocket in the lower surface, wherein aresulting surface area of the lower surface is less than a potentialsurface area encompassed by the perimeter; and, at least one mountingpoint for removably attaching the panel.
 12. The panel of claim 11wherein the upper surface and lower surface substantially conform to ashape and a contour of a specific portion of the vehicle.
 13. Theprotective panel of claim 11 wherein the first edge comprises one ormore portions collectively forming an edge profile.
 14. The protectivepanel of claim 11 wherein the at least one pocket is at least 0.1 inchesfrom the first edge and further wherein the at least one pocket extendsthrough one or more portions of the second edge.
 15. The protectivepanel of claim 11 wherein the lower surface is a surface area at least20% less than the potential area encompassed by the perimeter edge. 16.The protective panel of claim 11 wherein the first edge and second edgeare configured to extend to a boundary of a specific portion of thevehicle such that there is a substantially continuous transition betweenthe specific portion of the vehicle and the perimeter portion of theprotective panel.
 17. The protective panel of claim 11 furthercomprising a locking portion wherein the locking portion selectivelyconnects two or more individual protective panels.
 18. The protectivepanel of claim 13 wherein the edge profile is comprised of at least afirst portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion comprisesa rounded profile, and the second portion comprises a angled profile.